Paul Heathcote puts fine-dining restaurant plans on hold
Paul Heathcote has put plans for a new fine-dining restaurant in Manchester on hold because of the current economic climate.
The chef-restaurateur has postponed the launch of The Elliot restaurant, which was set to open in October, on grounds of a combination of a "problematic listed site, escalating costs and a nervous trading market due to the credit crunch".
Instead, he plans to focus his attention on his mid-market Olive Press portfolio, with a number of openings for the chain set for the North-west next year.
Heathcote said: "I have decided to postpone the opening of The Elliot in Manchester as I do not believe now is a good time for a high-end restaurant opening and there is more demand for Olive Press at the present time.
"The decision on The Elliot is the right one at the present time and I will re-consider this position at the start of the New Year."
Plans for The Elliot comprised a 70-seat restaurant with Champagne bar and private-dining room located in Manchester's city centre in the same building as Simply Heathcotes.
Refitting work had started on the ground floor of the former register office building.
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By Kerstin Kühn
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